7S TALANOA WITH AJAY BHAI AMRIT
WELCOME to the last in this present series of articles based on Fiji’s national obsession, which is of course Rugby 7s. To end the series I thought it would be fun to incorporate my own 7s dream team for the season 2018/2019 and what an exciting and highly entertaining HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series it was.
We had Fiji winning the Hong Kong 7s title for a record fifth time in a row. We also had the nail-biting end to the series with Fiji taking the title as champions at the last stop of this global event in Paris.
Also who can forget that magical try scored from the kick-off in centre field by our own sprint king Alasio Naduva against Japan which was truly spectacular, the try itself needed a combination of speed, power and athleticism.
Finally the win in the final of the New Zealand leg of the Hamilton 7s where Fiji destroyed the USA team 38-0. This was the best game I have ever witnessed Fiji play live, it truly was delightful and almost a pinpoint perfect display. To keep a highly ranked and dangerous team such as the USA at bay and also denying them the chance to cross the line for the duration of the whole match is a major success in its own right.
These were just a few of the highlights during a thoroughly enjoyable season of 7s rugby and will live long in many rugby fans memories.
Now for a little fun, I have decided to come up with my own dream team for the season and believe me it was very hard, but here we go with my choice.
Firstly we will need our coach of the year to be in charge of these majestic players and there is only one winner here and that is of course our very own Gareth Baber.
1. Scott Curry
Standing at six feet five inches tall and weighing over 100kgs, Curry certainly is an imposing figure, but surprisingly for such a big man he puts in a tremendous amount of work around the field. He made his debut in 2010 for the New Zealand 7s team and has been an integral part of the system since then. He is currently co-captain of the national side. He is also a trained science teacher.
2. Ben Pinkelman
This tough and effective forward is a coach’s dream, his work rate on the field is outstanding, combine that with his high tackle count and good hands and you have a natural selection of an all-rounder. To add to this he has a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice.
3. Meli Derenalagi
What more needs to be said about the find of the season. This young man has exceptional skills for a big man, from his solid defensive tackling to his sublime off loading skills.
Alas I definitely feel we will lose this talented player sooner rather than later to the lure of the 15s format of the game as everyone can see he will fit into this code like a hand into a glove.
4. Jerry Tuwai
This little magician has had the fans mesmerised over the past few seasons with his playmaking skills and also his deft footwork in scoring try after try. What we must not forget is Jerry’s uncanny ability to pull off try saving tackles on a regular basis for his beloved team.
A truly talented individual.
5. Werner Kok
This player is a workhorse and can play in almost any position on the park.
Werner is the type of player every team needs, as his ability to motivate his players and also lead by example is second to none.
In addition to his on the field presence, he is also by far the most popular player among his peers on the 7s circuit.
6. Vilimoni Botitu
After winning the DHL Impact player of the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series season, Botitu certainly stands out from the crowd.
Not a big man physically but he certainly punches well above his weight in all aspects of the game.
He is a player who, barring injury, will be one of the bright lights next season and also in the Olympic Games.
7. Aminiasi Tuimaba
Another young gun, with a promising career ahead of him, Tuimaba was Fiji’s leading points scorer in this year’s campaign and the recipient of many accolades as one of the best players throughout the season.
Not a lot has to be said about this man as his credentials speak for themselves.
Well there you have it, from my coach selection to my pick for this years 7s rugby’s ultimate dream team.
From next week I will be profiling some of our Flying Fijians national 15s players.
I am aware they might not be household names or as well known as their 7s counterparts, but with the Rugby World Cup looming, let’s get behind our boys and cheer them on, as the countdown begins towards Rugby World Cup 2019 to be held in Japan.